Automatic fluid control



July 10, 1923.

J. BROMBACHER AUTOMATIC FLUID CONTROL Filed March 30. 1922 Patented July 10, 1923.

UNITED STATES JULIUS BROMBACHER, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC FLUID CONTROL.

Application filed March 30, 1922. Serial No. 547,974.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J ULIUS BROMBAOHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, county of" Los Angeles, and State of California, have invented a certain new and useful Automatic Fluid Control, of which the following is a specification.

' This invention relates to a means for governing theflow of a fluid and it has especial reference to an automatic valve for controlling the flow of gas to burners of any kind and type, an object of the invention being to provide a simple, economical and positively acting device in which the flow of gas to a burner, under government of a thermostat, may be automatically controlled.

I have discovered that oftentimes the pilot light or flame for igniting the gas issuing from a main burner of thermostatically controlled gas water heaters, is extinguished, and that, as a result, the full flow of gas is diffused and wasted, when the cooling water has operated the thermostat which in turn has opened wide the gas valve. To prevent this, I have devised the arrangement shown and hereinafter described, the essential object of which is to permitthe flow of gas 'so long as the pilot light is burning, and to prevent the flow of gas when the pilot light is extinguished. Other objects will appear from the subjoined specification, in connection with the accompanying drawing, which illustrates a preferred form of the invention, and in which,

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation, showing the valve operating means in the position they assume under thermal influence, and the valve lifted from its seat.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on line 2-, Fig. 1, showing the normal position of the valve operating means, and the valve seated.

Fig. 3 shows a detail 'of the thermostatic element.

Generically. considered, m invention comprises a valve housed in a gas chamber, and a means thermally influenced by the pilot light to hold the valve open, and specifically, the invention consists of a housing 1, having a gas or other fluid: inlet 2 and an outlet 17, and formed with a seat 3, for

:1 valve 4, the stem 0 of which ntends through preferably a plurality of plates 6 and is provided with means, as nuts 7. and 8, for afi'ording apurchase for the upper plate of the series, when the latter are caused to yield to thermal influence in the manner shown in Fig. 1, and as hereafter described. These plates 6 rest loosely upon the top of the housing 1, and are enclosed in a compartment 9, formed in a complementary chamber 10, that is arranged to be secured in any suitable manner to the housing .1 and that is formed with a gas passage 11, which is isolated from said compartment 9. This complementary chamber or housing 10 is formed with a dome o'r combustion chamber 12, wherein a certain portion of the gas flowing to the pilot light is adapted to burn. In the bottom horizontal wall or floor of said combustion chamber 12 is threadedly secured a tube 13, which extends through a diametrically larger opening 14;. in the top of said dome or combustion chamber 12, and which may be supplied in the end thereof with a soapstone or other member for dividing the gas into-separate streams. This pilot light tube 13 is provided with a plurality of ports 16 for causing a portion of the gas for the pilot light or flame to escape into and be ignited in the dome or combustionchamber, the purpose being to heat the walls of the combustion chamber and cause the conduction of the heat to the space occupied by the plates 6,-which, responding to the thermal influence exerted by the pilot flame and conductively transferred, assume a position, from the normal one indicated in Fig. 2, to the positions'shown in Fig. 1.-

During the yielding movement of these plates 6, the valve 4 is lifted from its seat 3 and the gas permittedto pass through the outlet 17 in the housing 1 to the burner, which is then ignited by the burning ilot flame. The valve 4 will be held lifted rom its seat so long as the plates are under thermal influence, that is, so long as the? pilot light burns. When for any reason, the pilot flame is extinguished, the plates gradually resume their normal position, and in so do ing, cause the valve to seat, the seating being aided by the inflowing gas or fluid! and actually occurring before the plates have contracted to their extreme normal position,

shown in Fig. 2. Thereby any escape of gas is prevented, when the thermostat, acting under the influence of cold water, opens the gas valve, which directly controls the flow of gas to the burner.

The housing 1, is provided with a tapering gas cook 18, rotatable to control the flow of gas through the outlet 17, and may be held in place by any suitable means, as by a ring 19, arranged to be forced against said cock by screws 20, a suitable packing being interposed between the ring 19 and an annular shoulder formed on said cock to prevent leakage. Said cock 18 is also formed with a reduced portion 21, for a lever or other member not shown, whereby to operate same. Horizontally disposed within said cock, is preferably a tube 22, which is in free communication with a recess 23 formed in the housing 1. This tube 22 is integral with a disk 22' that is arranged to thread into and seal the smaller end of the cook 18. The other end of said tube 22 is tightly fitted into the body of the cock and communicates with a bore 24, which in turn communicates with a passageway 25, extending at substantially right angles to said bore. The bore 24 is formed with a seat 26 for a needle valve 27 which extends through the cock body and is provided with a knurled end for aflording a hold for the fingers or other member when adjusting the needle valve, as hereinafter pointed out. The cock is also formed with an annular groove 28 in line with the passageway 25, and in line with a duct 29, provided in said housing 1, whereby gas, traveling through the passageway 25 will enter said groove 28 and pass through the duct 29, regardless of the position of the gas cook. As seen, this duct 29, communicates with the passageway 11, from whence the gas travels to the pilot light tube 13. The housing 1 is also provided on the side opposite that of the duct 29, with a port 30, which establishes communication between the valve housing and the aforenamed recess 23.

By this construction, it will be apparent that when the valve 4 is either open or closed, a ortion of the gas entering through the in ct, will travel through the port 30, tube 22, bore 24, passageway 25 and duct 29, eventually entering the gas passageway 11 and from there passing on through the pilot light tube. The quantity of gas thus traveling to the pilot light tube, being regulated by the needle valve 27. In this manner, gas sufficient only for the pilot may be delivered, regardless of the position of the valve 4 and in the event of the extinguishment of the pilot flame, the only escape of gas will be that negligible quantity through the pilot light tube.

The plates for efl'ecting the operation of the valve, severally consists of two plates secured together and having different coefficients of expansion and contraction, as brass and steel. To obtain the greatest'movement of them by thermal influence, they are preferably so arranged that in normal position the brass faces and the steel faces thereof lie in immediate contact with one another, whereby under the influence of heat they bow in reverse directions.

Obviously the valve herein described may be attached in any manner to any thermostatically controlled gas water heater, as to the gas cup 31, usually provided, or in any other manner to effect the obiects sought and herein mentioned.

What I claim, is:

1. A fluid control comprising a housing having an inlet and an outlet, a valve within said chamber having a stem, a plurality of plates within said housing, said valve stem extending through said plates, a heating chamber on said housing thermally to influence said plates to cause same to lift and hold said valve lifted, and a pilot light tube to heat said heating chamber.

2. A gas control comprising a valve housing having an inlet and an outlet, a heating chamber on said housing, a pilot light burner in said heating chamber, said housing provided with means to convey a portion of the gas from said valve housing to'said heating chamber and pilot light burner, a valve in said housing, and means thermally influenced by the heat from said heating chamber to unseat and hold said valve unseated.

3. A gas control comprising a valve housing having an inlet and an outlet, a heating chamber on said housing, a pilot light burner extending through said heating chamber and provided with ports whereby a portion of the gas for said pilot light burner is consumed in said chamber, said housing provided with means for conveying a portion of the gas from said valve housing to said pilot light burner, a valve within said housing and means loosely resting on said housing and operatively associated with said valve and thermally influenced by the heat from said heating chamber to lift and hold said valve lifted.

4. A gas control comprising a valve hous ing having an inlet and an outlet, a heating chamber on said housing, means provided in said housing to convey a portion of the gas to said heating chamber, means to control the portion of gas delivered to said heatin chamber, a valve within said housin an means operatively associated with sai valve and thermally influenced by the heat from said heating chamber to lift and hold said valve lifted so long as the heat in said heating chamber continues.

5. A gas control comprising a valve housing having an inlet and an outlet, a heating chamber on said valve housin having an opening, a pilot light tube extending throu' h said chamber and diametrically. smal er aaeaaea than said openin a gas cook operable relafluenced by the heat from said heating chamtively to the out et from said housing, said her to lift and hold said valve lifted so long h'ouslng and said cock provided with means as the heat in said heating chamber con- W to convey a portion of the gas to said heating tinues.

5 chamber and said pilot light tube, a valve In testimony whereof I have set my hand.

within said housin and means operatively associated with sai valve and thermally in- JULIUS BROMBACHER. 

